Thanks for the reply. But this was a few years ago when MS released Vista with no WinHlp32.exe on the machines. I found some freeware that could display both the .hlp and .chm formats. But I can't find a reference, bookmark, or download that rings a bell.

On my Win7-64:.HLP files (this is an old/obsolete standard format) are opened by Microsoft Help..CHM files (this is the current standard) are opened by Microsoft HTML Help Executable.

I have recently been playing around with programs that can output to these formats, but I have not come across a proggy that can write to both or will read both.I would be interested to know if you find anything like this.

I don't think it was the one I was looking for. I saw a comment on another board that it's "shareware" that's gone out of development. The comment stated that it doesn't expire though. According to the sales copy it can read .hlp and htmlhelp 1.0 and 2.0.

I could get a download from that site. But since I don't need it I haven't installed. I was just looking since someone was having problems getting WinHlp32.exe to work on Vista. Drove me crazy I couldn't remember the other help reader. I could have sword it had a 'k' in the name somewhere. But I can't find any download or the program on my system.

Oh well. If you try this one let me know if it works. If it's good I'll recommend to others before c-net pulls the download.

If you have already downloaded Help Explorer Viewer, I would be grateful if you could make it accessible (or email it) to me please. I can't find that file except it's on these sites that insist on forcing their spamming download proggy on you.

I couldn't help my curiosity, so I logged in and grabbed the file. It is 11MB, 22.6MB unpacked, and from 2006/2007. It comes with both a full set of files and an installer, so you have the choice of installing or just moving the unzipped folder to Program Files. Java/Firefox 3 -related error messages seems mandatory:

If you have already downloaded Help Explorer Viewer, I would be grateful if you could make it accessible (or email it) to me please. I can't find that file except it's on these sites that insist on forcing their spamming download proggy on you.